Electrolytic cell



E. MCDORMAN. ELECTROLYTC CELL.

Fig. 2

APPucA-aors man JUNE 19, 1919,

ication.

Pani. Meenemen, or manana retasfn'nw yonnassrsnon To 'run saneren; CHEMICAL COMPANY, or perron', onto, .a ooaronarron or onto.

ELECTROLYTC CELL.

Speciicaten of Letters Patent. f Patented Junge 1,3592@ .application filed .Tune 19, 1919. Serial No. 305,241.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that l, PAUL MCDORMAN, a

citizen'oll the United States, residing at Niagara `Falls, in the county of l`liagara Aand State 'oi' New York, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in Electro lytic Cells, of which the following is a speci- The principal object of my invention is to provide an electrolytic cell which produces a gas having a low percentage 'of impurities.- lilith this end in View, l provide,

among other things, an air-'tight cell which is so thoroughly sealed that clilorin gas cannot escapel when high pressure is put on they chlorin line, nor can air laterenter the cell through-breaks in the sealing material to-lower the chlorin content of the gas produced.l

Another object of the invention is to provide means in the cell which permits the hydrostatic head. of the electrolyte to,rise

Y when 'the porosity of the diaphragm becomes lessened, thereby giving the same rate of dow through the diaphragm at all times. Another object ot the invent-ion is to provide a hood for the cell, that prevents the air from getting to the hydrogen formed around the cathode.

Other important .and incidentall objects will be brought out in thefollowing specilication, and particularly set forth in the sub joined claims.

One form of embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l is a vertical sectional view taken through my improved cell, and Fig,` 2 is a vertical sectional view of one top edge of said cell, showing the hood and gasket construction.

Throughout the speciication and drawings, similarreference characters denote corresponding parts.

Referring to the accompanying' drawings, the numeral l designates a perforated cylindrical iron cathode Whose bot-tom rests in an annular channel 2 provided near the marginal edge of a base member'. Also resting in the annular channel 2, is a cylinf -drical diaphragm l preferably constructed of asbestos or other suitable porous material. [This y diaphragm has a. relativelytion of the cathode l. Spaced a--shorft distance from the diaphragm 4, is acylindrical anode 5 preferably constructed or" graphite.v

Between the upper end of the anode 5 and the diaphragm et, there is placed agaslret 6 which curves outwardly to assume' a horizontal position between the top off .the

- cathode 1 and a gasket 6a upon'which rests the flat marginal portion of a dome-shaped head .7` for the cell. Bolts 8 pass through the horizontal top of said cathode, the gaskets and marginal portion of the head 7, to clamp them firmly together. 0n top of the marginal flat portion of the head Z is the annular gasket 9 through which" the -bolts 8 pass, lwhile on top .of said gasket 9 there rests the inwardly projecting ange portion l0 of a cylindrical hood l1 that surrounds said cell. rfhis hood ll, whose bottom .portion rests inthe channel 2 in the base 3, is provided. to prevent air from getting .to the hydrogen kformed on the cathode, which would lower the elciencyof the cell. The bolts 8 also pass through the flange 10,011 this hood, receiving-on their top ends, nuts 12 by means of which the head?, hood il, cathode l, annular gaskets 6, 6 and 9', and the diaphragm 4, arev tlrnly ,clamped together, to mairean airtight construction. Around the base portion of the hood, cathode and diaphragm,. the electrolyte forms a seal in the channel 2 of the base 3.

n'der the old method where putty Vand like substances are used to seal the-cell, the chlorin when under high pressure in the chlorin line, will. often break the seal, causing chlorin gas to escape intothe room and thus interfering materially' with the Work. Later air willfenter. the cell through `the breaks intheputty, resulting in a lowering anode extending downwardly to a-point a short distance above the base 3,

'ormech said caustic passing through said cathode into the space between the latter and the hood ll, dropping down therethrough into a caustic outlet tube l5 that communicates, through an inse t i6, with the channel 2. (See arrows in Fig. l.)

Y. The iron cathode l andporous diaphragm 4 are held firmly against the the channel 2, by a hoop 17. perforated cathode l and porous diaphragm 'are pressed against each other, caustic is formed between them by the electric cur rent which is conducted through a bolt 8, as a terminal, to the cathode. Provided around the bolt 8 is a rubber sleeve S to prevent a .short circuit between the anode and cathode. The head 7 will act as a conductor to the graphite anode, doing away with the copper bushbar commonly used.

` Communicating with the space between the cathode l and hood ll, through the cell head 7, is a vent tube 18 which perinits hydrogen to escape. Thereason l prefer to employ a domeshaped head for .the cell is, that it permits the hydrostatic head ot the electrolyte. to rise when the porosity ot' the diaphragm becomes lessened by long usage or for other causes. As is well known in the art, this diaphragm is provided to prevent the products of electrolysis from mixing, chlorin being formed at the anode and caustic on vthe cathode. l'Vhen' the porosity ot this diaphragm becomes lessened, the flow of electrolyte through it is retarded unless the hydrostatic headot the latter is raised. This is made possible by the dome-shaped head, which permits the level of the electrolyte to rise as the porosity of' the diaphragm decreases,'thercby insuring an even flow of liquor through the diaphragm at all 'times irrespective of the degree of porosity of the latter.

Haring described my invention, I claim:

l. ln an electrolytic cell, the combination with a base member, ot a hollow' cathode iounted thereon, an anode within said cathode above. the base, a porous diaphragm between said anode and-cathode, a head for said cell, and gas-het means between said head and .the anode and cathode, to

inner wall of Although the ramasse thoroughly seal said cell against the escape ot chlorin and the admission of air.

ln an electrolytic cell, the combination with a base member, ot cylindrical cathvode mounted thereon, an anode within said cathode above the base, a porous diaphragm between said anode and cathode, a head tor said cell, gasket means between the niarginal portion of said head and the cathode and anode, and means for firmly pressing said marginal portion against the gasket, to thoroughly seal said cell against the escape of chlorin and the admission of air.

ln an electrolytic cell, the combination with a circular base member having an annular channel in its top portion, of a cylindricalv cathode resting in said channel, a porous diaphragm within said cathode, also resting in said annular channel, an annular gasket seated on the top portion ot' said cathode, a head for said cell having a :lat marginal portion', a gasket between 'said marginal portion and the first gasket, an anode, means pressing said anode against the second gasket, and bolts passing through said cathode, gaskets and dat marginal portion ot said head, 'firmly to clamp them together to seal said cell against the escape of chlorin and the admission of air.

4l. ln an electrolytic cell, the combination with a base member, of a hollow cathode mounted thereon, an anode in said cell, a porous diaphragm between said anode and cathode, and an upwardly bulging head for said cell, to permit the level of the electrolyte to rise when the porosity of the diaphragm is lessened.

5. ln an electrolytic cell, the combination with a circular base member, ot a cylindrical cathode mounted thereon, an anode in said cell, a porous diaphragm between said anode and cathode, and a dome-shaped head for said cell, firmly secured to the top of said cathode, to permit the level of the electrolyte to rise when the porosity ot' the diaphragm is lessened.

6. ln an 'electroyltic cell, the combination with a base member, of a cylindrical cath-- ode mounted thereon, an anode in said cell, a porous diaphragm between said anode and cathode, a head 'for said cell, and a hood secured to said head and surrounding'the cathode-to prevent the admission ot air .to

the hydrogen formed onthe latter.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 14th day oia June, i919.

PAUL llio'DRll/IAN. lllitness:

lloweno S. Sii/rrr'. 

